Windows 10 has NT kernel 10.0, and Devs! do not worry about that

Yes, it is official now! Windows 10 is Windows 10.0, versioning-wise too.

Don’t be surprised, Windows 10 has plunged from 6.4 to 10.0 at kernel version too as it is most likely the plan.

Yesterday, a Chinese website revealed that Windows 10 would no longer be version 6.4 anymore as they had found build 9888 carried NT kernel 10.0. Now, Microsoft has confirmed via MSDN page that they are maintaining the 10.0 version number for Windows 10 from now, which may sound irrelevant in contrast of program compatibility.

A page of UA string changes on IE Dev Center reads, “Developers preparing for Windows 10 should note that the Windows NT value in the UA string will change from 6.4 to 10.0 with the new release. If you have code that depends on the version number, we advise that you update to allow for the new value.”

This means that changes to kernel architecture level – to unify the core of Windows 10 ecosystem – will be major, and notably, all desktop apps that run on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 could break on Windows 10 unless they are recompiled.

In practice, app developers do not need to be panic if their applications have “Compatibility” section in their manifest. With the advent of Windows 7, Windows developers added a new section in application manifest called “Compatibility” that provides the behavior of that the app expects from the OS instead of an explicit version of Windows. Other the other hand, if your app does not have Compatibility section in its manifest, the app will receive Windows Vista behavior by default on Windows 7 and later.

Moreover, the “Compatibility” section also lets you target a particular version of Windows; in that case the application will continue to receive the desired behavior in the future version of Windows..

So, it is a sign of relief for app developers that can easily tweak their projects in order to make sure that their apps run on Windows 10 flawlessly.

For a quick note, Windows 10 is under development, and a technical preview is available for testing purpose only. The successor of Windows 8.1 has significant aesthetic improvements such the return of revamped Start menu, Continuum mode, home section in File Explorer, windowed modern apps with title bar and model dialog boxes, and new icons. Besides, there’s a huge list of noteworthy features that primarily include matured PC Settings, Cortana integration, virtual desktops, task-view, native support for MKV media file, Internet Explorer 12, Storage Sense, Date Sense, Battery Saver, tweaked snap mode, Mac-like trackpad gestures and more.